New new HARVEST 2018/19

For inspiration have a look at www.foodtube.nl Ronald Houben makes short films about cooking and baking. Chefs show their skills, simple and eleborate recipes. Informative and fun. Manfred does some about olive oil and balsamic and about making a nice vinaigrette.

Our new Crete olive oil arrived! Nice to notice that where producers in Spain, Italy and Lesbos are struggling with this years harvest (see here below) there also is a producer in another part of the world that is doing extremely well! Our oil of 100% Koroneiki olives from Kolymbari (West Crete) is really nice this year. What a flavour, light and fresh but also very grassy and green as a Top Italian oil! And for a better price!

In normal years the oil from Gaudenzie in Umbria is the first one to arrive in our warehouse. This year there have been big problems just before harvest time, all over Italy. Because of abundant rain the olives were thick and round but the ratio between oil and water was/is very bad. Due to clever work in the olive fields Pannarale was able to be the first one this year. We are happy that these problems did not affect the taste of the oil: very fruity, green, peppery but also round and full. We are very happy with it. Come and try!

ALL OIL IS OF THE NEW HARVEST NOW!

More and more people ask for local products. We appreciate this. That is why we now have several 'new' oils made in Holland: Walnut and hazelnut oil from the Betuwe. Rapeseed from Friesland. Huttentut oil from Brabant. And rapeseed oil and cold pressed (!) Sunflower oil from Germany.

"Quinta Luna" made by the Gaudenzi family near Spoleto, Umbria. What a flavor and smell and colour! Green as moss and rich in taste of artichoke and cavolo nero. A plate full of boiled spinach or swiss chard drizzeled with this oil: a revelation. The chefs of De Scheepskameel and Kaagman&Kortekaas are creating a special dish with it. We are very curious! Herewith Gaudenzi's own advise with this new oil: (that sounds very appetising) “Ideale su carpaccio di carne cruda con funghi porcini, insalate di carciofi, pomodori gratinati, zuppa di lenticchie, primi piatti con salsiccia, polpo bollito, carni rosse o cacciagione arrosto, formaggi stagionati a pasta filata”. "Very good on beef carpaccio with porcini, artichoke salads, tomatoes au gratin, lentil soups, pasta with sausages, boiled octopus, roast meat or game, aged cheese'"

EVERY SATURDAY FROM 12.00 TILL 17.00 WE OPEN OUR 'SHOP' FOR OUR CLIENTS.

You will find us behind the new built Vierde Gymnasium in the Houthavens on the business district near the Gamma. Free parking right in front of our shop!

DEAR WHOLESALE CLIENTS, MAIL YOUR ORDER TO BESTELLING@MEEUWIG.NL OR LEAVE A MESSAGE ON THE ANSWERING MACHINE, WE DELIVER EVERY THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.

Meeuwig & Zn. is a small Amsterdam firm established in 1995. The owners are Manfred Meeuwig and Sayone Daan. Manfred Meeuwig who founded the firm was originally a chef (at restaurants such as:Troisgros, Guerard, De Hoefslag) and food stylist (Allerhande, Elle, Elle-eten, Residence). Each year we import tens of thousands of litres top quality extra virgin olive oil from Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece and France. In addition, we import and sell nut oils, pumkin seed oil, argan oil, wine vinegars, balsamico vinegars, French and Belgian mustards and mayonnaises, Greek, French, Spanish and Italian olives, capers in salt and vinegar, San Marzano tomatoes, pan carasau, Spanish chips fried in olive oil, fish conserves, pimenton La Vera, artichokes in olive oil, Maldon salt, Sel de Guerande.Meeuwig & Zn. is importer, exporter, retailer and wholesaler. We supply the horeca and retail trade. Saturday afternoons from 12.00 till 17.00 retail clients are welcome in our warehouse Nieuwe Hemweg 6K, 1013 BG Amsterdam. All the varieties of extra vergin olive oil and vinegar can be tasted.

Meeuwig & Zn. is a small Amsterdam firm established in 1995. The owners are Manfred Meeuwig and Sayone Daan. Manfred Meeuwig who founded the firm was originally a chef (at restaurants such as:Troisgros, Guerard, De Hoefslag) and food stylist (Allerhande, Elle, Elle-eten, Residence). Each year we import tens of thousands of litres top quality extra virgin olive oil from Italy, Spain, Portugal, Greece and France. In addition, we import and sell nut oils, pumkin seed oil, argan oil, wine vinegars, balsamico vinegars, French and Belgian mustards and mayonnaises, Greek, French, Spanish and Italian olives, capers in salt and vinegar, San Marzano tomatoes, pan carasau, Spanish chips fried in olive oil, fish conserves, pimenton La Vera, artichokes in olive oil, Maldon salt, Sel de Guerande.Meeuwig & Zn. is importer, exporter, retailer and wholesaler. We supply the horeca and retail trade. Saturday afternoons from 12.00 till 17.00 retail clients are welcome in our warehouse Nieuwe Hemweg 6K, 1013 BG Amsterdam. All the varieties of extra vergin olive oil and vinegar can be tasted.

While across the entire world tastes are blurring with the threat of becoming a single thick sweet uniformity, also the counter action is becoming more visible. The special clean and, even, healthy taste and qualities of extra vergin olive oil are increasingly appreciated. Our shop sells olive oil direct from stainless steel containers. This has a number of advantages.

It means we can purchase olive oil from small growers who do not have their own bottling and distribution line. All oils can always be tasted at our shop and can be bought in different quantities.

A disadvantage of selling oil loose is probably that extra information that is normally found on the bottle is lacking. Therefore, we give this information in a brochure we have produced that you can obtain in the shop. You can also find some of this information on the website under the heading 'Olive oil varieties’.

Other oil variants

This is an oil that is very difficult to obtain even in Morocco. Argania trees grow in the North West of Morocco at Essaouira.In earlier days, this oil was made as follows: a special type of climbing goat ate the fruit and excreted the non-digestible kernels. These kernels were exposed to the scorching sun and were burnt clean. They were then roasted, ground on flat stones and a very special oil was obtained from the pulp mixed with water by means of a lengthy kneading. In Morocco, many mystical, curative, and beauty care properties were attributed to this oil.Today, the fruit is picked by hand and the fruit is removed. The production is still extremely primitive and labour intensive. It is traditionally women’s work. The oil that we sell is made by a group of women who have formed a cooperative. In this way, we support their initiative.The oil tastes nutty and sweet, a bit like sesame.In Morocco, argan oil with honey and bread is eaten as breakfast. In a vinaigrette, argan oil is delicious with a salad of rucola, for example.

There are two varieties of vinegar:1. Vinegar of fermented products such as wine, beer, cider, etc. that with help of a bacterium (the acetobacter, that is found in wood) ferment sugar to alcohol and then from alcohol to acetic acid. 2. Vinegar from ethanol (= industrial alcohol) fermented in acetic acid (this is known as ‘natural vinegar’). Vinegar can contain between 4 % and 15 % acetic acid, namely as much as the percentage of alcohol. It is called ‘edik’ if it contains less than 4% acetic acid and as ‘vinegar’ if it contains at least 5.2 % acetic acid.The mother or mère of vinegar is a cellulose residue from the fermentation process. The bacteria die off and form something resembling a jellyfish. Vinaigre, the French word for vinegar comes from vin aigre, acid wine. The traditional way of making vinegar is the 'Orleans method'. Wine is left in half-filled oak wine barrels at 25 to 30 degrees. Each year one half is removed and again filled with wine. This is a natural method to make vinegar. For information on balsamico, search for balsamico among the varieties of vinegar.

After visiting two of our Balsamic producers in the province of Modena we finally now what it is all about!There are in fact two totally different production processes of Balsamico:First, there is the Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP. In this process, grape juice of (mainly) Trebbiano grapes is condensed for 24 hours at 40 degrees. This ‘mosto cotto’ is mixed in various ratios with wine vinegar and left in oak barrels of 200 litres for at least 3 months. If you leave the vinegar to lie for more than three years you may state ‘Invecchiato’ on the label.Secondly, there is the Aceto Balsamico di Modena DOP. For this, at least 6 barrels of different types of wood of decreasing size (from 200 l to 10 l) are used. In winter, when it is very cold in Modena, the balsamico is resting and half is tapped off the smallest barrel. The space that is left is filled with balsamico from the next size barrel, and so on. Ultimately, therefore, also the largest barrel is half full. That is filled with the same reduced must as in the case of the IGP, described above. The balsamico with must that is still in the barrel begins to ferment, especially when it is very hot in summer. The sugar becomes alcohol and the alcohol becomes vinegar/balsamico.

In order to sell balsamico as ‘Tradizionale’ it must be stored still for some years in small barrels and then sent to the Consortium in the cask. Here, the product is tested and after being approved it is bottled by the Consortium in a typical small round ‘Tradizionale’ bottle. All producers of ‘Tradizionale Balsamico’ have therefore the same bottle (with seal), but each have their own label.

Since also the largest barrel is never completely empty, you can never refer to a balsamico of a certain age. It is always a mix of many years.The Balsamico IGP is a mix of must and vinegar.The Balsamico DOP is therefore vinegar of 100% must.

Bouquet de Figues is made in the same way as balsamic vinegar. Instead of grape must, figs are used. In Italy, this is known as ‘vincotto’. De Bouquet de Figues is stronger in taste than balsamic vinegar.

We try to limit our offer to ‘serious’ varieties of mustard and do not bother with products like ‘mustard for men’.In the past, mustard was cultivated in the wine zones of Dijon, Reims and Bordeaux since vinegar was available there. This resulted in Moutarde de Meaux (Champagne) and Moutarde de Dijon (Bourgogne). There are three varieties of mustard seed: white (bitter), brown (of the lettuce leaf) and black (the strongest in taste). In principle, smooth fine mustard, the Dijon, is the sharpest mustard. This is because in Dijon mustard, a mix of the 3 mustard seeds is ground, sieved and mixed with vinegar. In this way the substances that provide the sharp sensation are best maintained. When making the milder coarse mustard, such as de Meaux, the brown and black seeds are soaked in vinegar, water and salt and then partially ground.The cultivation of the mustard seed has transferred to Canada. The Moutarde de Bourgogne of Fallot is an exception that is grown and made in France. In 2002, there were still 160 mustard manufacturers in France, today there are 6.

Mustard maker from the Bourgogne - Fallot – has recently produced a mustard from the local mustard seed > Moutarde de Bourgogne. In addition we have their Moutarde de Dijon au miel et vinaigre balsamique .

~

Already for years we have been regularly visiting the small mustard factory De Kroon in Beveren near Antwerp. Here, a Flemish lady is making a very spicy fresh yellow mustard in a sharp and a mild variant. We sell only the small jars because once the jar is opened this mustard quickly loses its sharpness. Also their typical Belgian mayonnaise (with a little more vinegar and a little mustard) is very good. In addition, we have delicious piccalilli and cornichons (gherkins) of this firm.

We import the excellent fish products of Ortiz from Galicia in Northern Spain. In the popular cookbook of the restaurant ‘River Café’ in London, anchovies of Ortiz are recommended as the best choice.

Riserva of Bonito del Norte

Bonito del norte (tuna) in olive oil

Anchovies in olive oil.

Anchovies in salt ( 6 pcs in vacuum)

We also have anchovy filets in extra virgin olive oil (anchoas a la antigua) in glass jars. These are the very best and largest anchovy filets of Ortiz. These anchovies are so delicate in taste that you can eat them straight from the jar. The taste is barely salty and is more like Jamon Serrano than fish. www.conservasortiz.com

Since the very beginning of our firm, we import all the olive oil ourselves. Later, many more by-products were added from Spain, Italy, Greece, England, Germany and Belgium. Due to our direct contact with producers, we have established a relationship of trust which means we can be sure that we receive the best products. Our olive oil is always of the most recent harvest. Naturally, we have a special price list for the horeca and retailers.

We sell our products to specialized stores in the Netherlands and Belgium.

For inspiration have a look at www.foodtube.nl Ronald Houben makes short films about cooking and baking. Chefs show their skills, simple and eleborate recipes. Informative and fun. Manfred does some about olive oil and balsamic and about making a nice vinaigrette.

Our new Crete olive oil arrived! Nice to notice that where producers in Spain, Italy and Lesbos are struggling with this years harvest (see here below) there also is a producer in another part of the world that is doing extremely well! Our oil of 100% Koroneiki olives from Kolymbari (West Crete) is really nice this year. What a flavour, light and fresh but also very grassy and green as a Top Italian oil! And for a better price!

In normal years the oil from Gaudenzie in Umbria is the first one to arrive in our warehouse. This year there have been big problems just before harvest time, all over Italy. Because of abundant rain the olives were thick and round but the ratio between oil and water was/is very bad. Due to clever work in the olive fields Pannarale was able to be the first one this year. We are happy that these problems did not affect the taste of the oil: very fruity, green, peppery but also round and full. We are very happy with it. Come and try!

ALL OIL IS OF THE NEW HARVEST NOW!

More and more people ask for local products. We appreciate this. That is why we now have several 'new' oils made in Holland: Walnut and hazelnut oil from the Betuwe. Rapeseed from Friesland. Huttentut oil from Brabant. And rapeseed oil and cold pressed (!) Sunflower oil from Germany.

"Quinta Luna" made by the Gaudenzi family near Spoleto, Umbria. What a flavor and smell and colour! Green as moss and rich in taste of artichoke and cavolo nero. A plate full of boiled spinach or swiss chard drizzeled with this oil: a revelation. The chefs of De Scheepskameel and Kaagman&Kortekaas are creating a special dish with it. We are very curious! Herewith Gaudenzi's own advise with this new oil: (that sounds very appetising) “Ideale su carpaccio di carne cruda con funghi porcini, insalate di carciofi, pomodori gratinati, zuppa di lenticchie, primi piatti con salsiccia, polpo bollito, carni rosse o cacciagione arrosto, formaggi stagionati a pasta filata”. "Very good on beef carpaccio with porcini, artichoke salads, tomatoes au gratin, lentil soups, pasta with sausages, boiled octopus, roast meat or game, aged cheese'"

EVERY SATURDAY FROM 12.00 TILL 17.00 WE OPEN OUR 'SHOP' FOR OUR CLIENTS.

You will find us behind the new built Vierde Gymnasium in the Houthavens on the business district near the Gamma. Free parking right in front of our shop!

DEAR WHOLESALE CLIENTS, MAIL YOUR ORDER TO BESTELLING@MEEUWIG.NL OR LEAVE A MESSAGE ON THE ANSWERING MACHINE, WE DELIVER EVERY THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.

More information on olive oil

We select only on the basis of the individual special taste and not according to the beautiful packaging. To get so far, Manfred has followed a course of taster (assaggiatore) at the O.N.A.O.O. (Organizzazione Nazionale Assaggiatori Olio di Oliva) (National Organisation of Olive Oil Tasters) in Imperia, Italy and has been placed on the list of official olive oil tasters. Moreover, he has a background as chef in a number of Dutch and European top restaurants (De Hoefslag, Troisgros, Michel Guerard, Alain Senderens).

Most of the different olive oils that we import are made from a single variety of olive. For example, our peppery Puglia oil comes from 100 % Coratina olives, while normally the oil from that area is nearly always mixed with other varieties. Our olive oils are always made only of olives that are ‘at home’ in the relevant zone. Thus, ‘Arbequina’ olives come from de Garrigues, near Lleida in Northern Spain. The oil sold there is famous for its fine light and fresh character. It is far more refined than oil from Andalusia. Olive oil from the north of the country is far more profitable than that of the south because the production is far less. It is therefore obvious that smart growers in the south also plant Arbequina trees. But the resulting oil has an entirely different character. We are for interesting and valuable diversity. Therefore, we do not sell oil that comes from Arbequina olives grown in Southern Spain. The oil that we sell from Southern Spain is made of Hojiblanca, or Picual, or Picuodo olives. Due to this philosophy, all our “loose oil” (oil sold by measure) have a unique taste and smell and character.

Since we don’t import bottled oil, it is possible to sell special oils from small growers. These oils often have a more distinct taste because less mixing takes place. All oil producers are visited personally and the oil is selected on the basis of the specific characteristics of the local olive oil. Precisely because we sell olive oil from all the major production zones of the Mediterranean, we strive to have a clear and recognisable taste per area. Moreover, when you buy olive oil from us you can be sure it comes from the most recent harvest. Meeuwig & Zn. also try to take into account the Northern European taste. Most fresh tasting Italian oils are rather bitter and some even peppery. Flavors not everybody likes. That is why we sell our Sicily oil wich is green and grassy without being bitter. For fans of strong and bitter oil we have the olive oil from Puglia in Southern Italy wich is made of 100% Coratina olives, while it is usually mixed with a milder oil because Coratina oil has a distinct peppery taste. With this approach, our products have a clear own taste. The olive oils are sold in our own bottles (0.2 and 0.5 and 1 litre) with mention of the date and zone of origin.

Extra vergin olive oil is delicious on warm toasted bread with coarse salt and a few drops of lemon juice. But for serious tasting, you must take pure olive oil. Officially in a blue glass (so that you are not distracted by the attractive or, in fact, flat colour) at 26 degrees C. It works well in a shot glass or in the hollow of your hand, as we do it in the shop.

It is your first impression that is important. Is the oil deliciously cool, fresh and fruity? Sniff it and then try a good amount. Let the oil trickle to the back of your mouth. Swallow it and see how long the taste remains. In your assessment, try to understand that you rarely taste olive oil as pure as this, it is always in or with something else. Olive oil may therefore be strong. During the tasting of several oils, use a piece of green apple and water to clean your mouth. No coffee or cigarettes beforehand! Watch out for the perfume, clarity, taste, strength of taste and viscosity. A taste that is rancid, fatty, woody, vinegary, soapy, flat, too bitter and too sweet means that the oil is not good!Olive oil must be stored in a cool and dry place, without (sun-) light, not in the fridge. It should not be kept for longer than 2 years after the harvest.Olive oil freezes at 7 degrees, when heated the oil is once again liquid, this does not improve the quality.